Diversity Key to Success in the Publishing World

Within the competitive world of publishing, one must expand beyond the author role to survive. With the release of the final book in her inspirational series approaching, author L. Diane Wolfe has already made the move to diversify. She eagerly tackles her speaker, teacher, tutor, marketer, and publisher positions and encourages others to do the same. And with the assistance of the Internet, Wolfe accomplishes this from a small town in Eastern North Carolina.

In addition to promoting the latest in her series, The Circle of Friends, she is an active speaker and lecturer. Her seminars on publishing and promoting are offered at many North Carolina community colleges, attracting aspiring writers of all ages. On the Internet, she manages a writer's group called The Writer's Meow. Wolfe intends to offer private consulting this fall, helping other authors avoid some of the pitfalls she encountered early in her career. In 2008, she will have yet another option available when she starts her own publishing company. She also conducts seminars on goal setting, speaks to clubs and writer's groups, and participates in book festivals.

Marketing and promotion was something Wolfe quickly learned to master. She averages sixty store appearances each year; a feat few authors attempt these days. In addition to physical book signings and speaking engagements, the author promotes her series through virtual online tours. Wolfe maintains a website & blog for her series and contributes articles for numerous other sites. Her readers and fans now span the globe and know the author as "Spunk On A Stick."

Wolfe intends to utilize her publishing company to supply the growing need in the market place for clean and uplifting fiction. Despite the current salacious trend in young adult/adult titles, The Circle of Friends feature positive, moral tales. The author's Southern-based series focuses on the pursuit of dreams and overcoming of obstacles. Meant to inspire as well as entertain, Wolfe's books have been described as "encouragement personified." Through speaking engagements and programs such as "Book 'Em," she continues to promote positive books for young adults and assist writers of all ages.

Author's website: http://www.thecircleoffriends.net/

First Novel of Jane Austen's Life

Though her work achieved only modest success during her lifetime, Jane Austen's stories have since acquired a faithful, multigenerational and worldwide following. They have sold millions of copies and have been made into numerous movies.

Like the characters in her stories, Jane never ventured far from her own corner of the world. Yet growing up in a clergyman's home gave her opportunities to watch human nature at its best -- and worst. Through it all, she struggled to find her place in life.

Basing her novel on actual family letters, historical writings and careful research, acclaimed author Nancy Moser illuminates Jane Austen and the world she lived in, transporting readers into the life and mind of the witty young writer.

In this realistic and moving portrayal, Moser lets readers tag along on Jane's journey as she tries to accept both who she is and the meaning of the life she has been given, learning to trust that her own circumstances have some purpose beyond herself.

Interest in Jane Austen will be especially strong this fall as two related movies are released in theaters: Becoming Jane and The Jane Austen Book Club.

Just Jane will release simultaneously with a Bethany House insight edition of Pride and Prejudice, which gives readers a richer and more engaging look into the world of this classic novel.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Nancy Moser is the author of three inspirational humor books and a dozen novels, including Mozart's Sister and Time Lottery, a Christy Award winner. She teaches writing at a regional college and is an inspirational speaker. She has earned a degree in architecture; ran a business with her husband; traveled extensively in Europe; and performed in various theaters, symphonies, and choirs. She and her husband have three grown children and make their home near Kansas City.

Read more about Pride and Prejudice (Insight Edition) at: www.bethanyhouse.com/prideandprejudice

Finalists in 3-Day Novel Contest

Twelve writers begin training today for the most grueling marathon of their careers as BookTelevision announces the finalists in the second 3-Day Novel Contest.

On August 31st, 2007 at the stroke of midnight these 12 writers will sit down in the middle of Edmonton's biggest Chapters bookstore - cameras and customers following their every keystroke - and try to write a novel on live television in just three days. The finalists will also face diabolically challenging contests and turns at "The Thirteenth Machine" as they compete to capture the $5000 cash prize and become Canada's next literary superstar.

The Finalists:
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GAYLEEN FROESE Day Job: Corporate communications editor and writer Hometown: Edmonton, AB

GORDON KIRKLAND Day Job: Humour writer Hometown: Pitt Meadows, BC

JAMES BURNS Day Job: Freelance writer/journalist Hometown: Orr Lake, ON

JENNIFER ISAAC Day Job: Communications consultant/freelance journalist Hometown: Westward Ho, AB

JOE GOODWILL Day Job: Writer, researcher, and ESL consultant Hometown: Vancouver, BC

LORNA SLOUKJI Day Job: Copywriter Hometown: Mississauga, ON

MARTY CHAN Day Job: Writer Hometown: Edmonton, AB

MATTHEW J. TRAFFORD Day Job: Student/transcriptionist/book reviewer Hometown: Toronto, ON

NANCY BELGUE Day Job: Library assistant Hometown: Kingsville, ON

PAUL MATWYCHUK Day Job: Entertainment Editor, SEE Magazine Hometown: Edmonton, AB

REBECCA SHUTTLEWORTH Day Job: Communications consultant for the federal government Hometown: Edmonton, AB

TRACY THOMPSON Day Job: Web editor Hometown: Edmonton, AB

Website: http://www.booktelevision.com/

Borders Launches Employee Author Program

Borders Group, Inc. is offering its more than 30,000 employees nationwide the opportunity to become a published author under the company's exclusive and proprietary publishing program. Borders Group is holding a fiction writing contest open to all employees in Borders and Waldenbooks stores, the distribution centers and the company's corporate office. Employee authors are eligible to submit manuscripts appealing to readers in any of the fiction categories. At least one employee whose title is selected as the winner by a panel of judges at the corporate office will be awarded a book deal including the full support of Borders merchandising and marketing arsenal. This includes being featured in the Borders "Shortlist," an e-mail promotion for Borders Rewards(R) members, which now number more than 19.5 million. Employees have until January 31, 2008 to submit manuscripts.

Borders' first exclusive and proprietary novel, "Slip & Fall" by Nick Santora, was released in June and has since reached bestseller lists at "The Wall Street Journal" and "The Boston Globe," and was named as a top summer read by "USA Today." Future titles under Borders' exclusive and proprietary publishing program include a 50th Anniversary of the GRAMMY Awards book and a John Legend Tour book.

Website: http://www.bordersgroupinc.com/

Young Poet Covers Broad Array of Topics in New Collection

L. Stoney offers a unique collection of poems on a wide array of topics on life and its challenges in his new book, "Titanic Verses" and Other Poems (now available through AuthorHouse).

Completed when Stoney was just 22 years old, this collection of more than 100 poems carries wisdom beyond his years. Using elaborate imagery and wordplay, he crafts verses that touch the reader from a variety of angles: political, factual, social, emotional and erotic.

Separated into 10 sections, the collection includes poems about historical and recorded facts; the downtrodden from beggars and the homeless to poor workers; the Earth and pollution; war and its effects; politics; erotica; and more. The semi-autobiographical collection also serves as a memoir as Stoney tells of the political pain in the country of his birth and the transition he faced from a life of disadvantage to that of plenty.

The poem "Soul Brothers" illustrates his use of wordplay to bring a lighthearted twist to weighty subject matter:

I handcuffed my own soul today
Sold it to a hand-carved friend of clay
And sought to stay behind my skin
Hoping to hide my deadly sin
Arrested my own heart today
And fed it to the wounded tiger
I can feel its wounded heartbeat
In the cage that is my ribcage
For it is my soul I pledge to you
A pledge for a loan I never took
Do with it as you wish, as you will
The debt is mine, the friendship still ours!
Ours, and I realize my soul friend
Is no better than the rest ...

Born in Zimbabwe, Stoney began writing "Titanic Verses" and Other Poems when he was student president of the Creative Writers' Circle in high school. He completed the collection at the age of 22 while training as a chartered accountant and studying for a bachelor's degree at the University of South Africa. He has served as a senior auditor and later as a finance executive at two multinational companies in Africa and beyond. He now lives in New York where he continues his career as an auditor. "Titanic Verses" and Other Poems is his first book. More information is available at http://www.titanicverses.com/.

Author Jay Dubya satirizes 18 William Shakespeare Plays

Shakespeare: Slammed, Smeared, Savaged and Slaughtered is adult literature featuring adult language and content. Jay Dubya converts eight of William Shakespeare's most famous plays into crazy risque and bawdy satire/parodies.

"A Midsummer's Night’s Dream" and "As You Like It" are creatively assaulted along with "The Tempest" and "All's Well That Ends Well." Jay Dubya also humorously broadsides "Othello" and "The Comedy of Errors." Finally the serious plays "The Merchant of Venice" and "King Lear" are hilariously clobbered and thoroughly corrupted.

Shakespeare: S, S, S and S represents William Shakespeare as you've never before read the bard's historic work. Each play has been imaginatively rewritten and converted from dialogue into adult-oriented narrative/dialogue form. Shakespeare: Slammed, Smeared, Savaged and Slaughtered is the companion book to Shakespeare: S, S, S and S, Part II.

Both new hardcover books are now available at Amazon.com and at Booksamillion.com

Denise Jackson's Memoir Debuts at #1 on New York Times Bestseller List

Denise Jackson's book, It's All About Him: Finding The Love of My Life, reached #1 on The New York Times Bestseller list in its first week of release.

It's All About Him, co-written by award-winning author Ellen Vaughn, gives readers an all-access look into one of country music's most famous couples: their love story, struggles, dreams, success, the near-failure of their marriage, the rediscovery of Denise’s faith, and how that has dramatically shaped their lives. The book includes a bonus CD featuring two songs by Alan Jackson recorded exclusively for this book: "It’s All About Him," penned especially for the book; and "That’s The Way,", the song he sang on their wedding day.

Book Reading and Book Buying in the UK Decreases

According to Research and Markets' "UK Book Retailing 2007," the UK book retailing is in a state of flux. Until recently the books market was highly fragmented with demand split between numerous specialist retailers. But over the last 10 years this situation has changed fundamentally, culminating in the landmark merger between the two largest UK based books specialists in July 2006.

Despite the initiatives of specialists to promote book reading and book buying, their market share will continue to fall as grocers and online specialists expand their book businesses. Over 2006-11, specialists will increase their sales by 8.7%, but their share of the books market will fall from 43.8% to 40.0%. Specialists will at least defend their market share more successfully than either book clubs or non-specialists.

The book club model is set to lose more market share than any other channel as like other types of mail order retailer, it failed to seize advantage of the Internet. In 2006, consumer spending on books amounted to £3.4bn, giving books a 1.3% share of total retail expenditure. In broad terms demand for books has experienced fairly healthy growth over the past decade spending on the category has increased by 77.9%, well in advance of the 49.4% increase in retail spending.

For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/reports/c65186

Final Figures for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

Amazon.com announced final worldwide pre-order and customer savings numbers on the seventh and final installment of the Harry Potter series, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows." In the largest single-product distribution in Amazon.com's history, the online retailer brought the magic of "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" to millions of happy Muggles on Saturday – the first day the book was available to the public.

Amazon "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" Facts:

• As of midnight, July 20, Amazon.com received more than 2.2 million pre-orders of "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" on its Web sites worldwide, surpassing the previous pre-order record of 1.5 million held by the sixth book in the epic Harry Potter series.

• In the U.S., Amazon.com received over 1.4 million pre-orders making the book the company’s largest new product release ever.

• Amazon estimates its customers have saved more than $50 million worldwide on the purchase of the book when factoring in savings from the book’s discounted price, the $5 promotional certificate offered on Amazon.com and Amazon.ca and free shipping.

• Amazon.com delivered nearly 1.3 million copies of “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows” to the doorsteps of millions of Muggles across the country Saturday, July 21 – the first day the book was available to the public.

• Amazon’s U.S. fulfillment centers processed approximately 18 tons of “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows” per hour and shipped to more than 43,000 zip codes across the country.

• On its busiest pre-order day, Amazon.com took more than 1.75 pre-orders of “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows” per second.

• Amazon.com offered guaranteed Saturday delivery to customers for the same price as Standard shipping, and Saturday delivery was free for Amazon Prime members.

• Amazon’s Web sites serving the UK, France, Germany, Japan and Canada also provided release date delivery to hundreds of thousands of customers on Saturday, July 21.

• Across all of its seven web sites, Amazon shipped to more than 160 countries around the world.

Harlequin Launches Spice Briefs

Harlequin Enterprises Limited, one of the world's leading publishers of women's fiction, today launched Spice Briefs, erotic short stories available exclusively in the eBook format. In just 5,000 - 15,000 words these sexually explicit short stories pack all the passion and plot readers expect from full-length Spice novels. Regularly priced at $2.99 U.S., Harlequin is introducing Spice Briefs at a special price of 99A" each from their August 1 launch until August 15, 2007.

"These bold, pushing-the-envelope, highly erotic short stories are convenient, easily accessible and the perfect length for the discerning woman in today's busy lifestyle," says Susan Swinwood, editor for Spice Books. "In addition to being compact, they still contain imaginative and engaging premises, well-constructed plots and believable characters. Quality editorial is paramount in Spice Briefs."

Spice Briefs launch titles are Letting Go by Sarah McCarty and Invite Me In by Delilah Devlin. Spice Briefs, like Spice Books, stands above its competitors by bringing a broad spectrum of arousing editorial to the erotica marketplace. Contemporary, ethnic, mystery/suspense, historical, literary, thrillers and paranormal stories are some of the various genres in which readers can enjoy these sexy tales. Spice Briefs also features some of the most well known authors of erotic fiction, including Megan Hart and Nancy Madore.

Offering two new titles per month, Spice Briefs stories are available in all eBook formats (including Adobe PDF, Microsoft Reader and Mobipocket) and can be downloaded through eHarlequin.com and all other eRetailers.

Already an industry front-list leader in eBooks, Harlequin is at the leading edge of digital publishing, offering approximately 100 new titles every month in eBook format and regularly topping the eBook bestseller lists.

Website: http://www.spicebriefs.com/